Churches of Christ are involved in many works that cannot be found in the New Testament. We do not intend to be one of them. These churches advertise, arrange and conduct youth rallies, youth trips, and associated recreational activities. Some of them have senior groups that take senior members to visit local tourist sites. Some churches participate in sports leagues, like the North Garland Church of Christ, that “hosts a non-competitive church softball league every year in late spring early summer.  This is an easy going, co-ed league that exists to encourage fun and fellowship between churches” (northgarlandchurch.org/softball/). (The “fun and fellowship between churches” is with local denominations in the league.) There are churches of Christ that operate preschools and K-12 schools, and many that arrange all sorts of social activities. Many of these churches have soup kitchens, food and clothes pantries, etc., to give physical relief to their communities.

It is not new that churches do these things; They have been practiced by denominations for a very long time. Like Israel’s demand for a king (to be like the nations around them), these churches of Christ have chosen to be like the denominations around them (1 Sam. 8).

For a church to be a New Testament church, it must follow the pattern of work revealed in the Scriptures. A local church cannot add to the New Testament pattern for its work without incurring God’s condemnation (Gal. 1:8-9; 2 Tim. 1:13).

In striking contrast to these modern innovations of human will and wisdom, the Jerusalem church of Christ in Acts 2 was wholly engaged in spiritual work (Acts 2:42-47; 1 Cor. 4:6). In Acts 2, we find the approved work of the first local church of Christ. Churches of Christ must do the work approved in Scripture. They must not add additional work for which God never asked and approved in Scripture.

The work of edification (Acts 2:42). The church was being built up through its worship together. The church grew spiritually by teaching God’s word, by their fellowship of giving, by eating the Lord’s supper and by prayer. Notice the spiritual nature of edification. They did not grow because they got together to do “fun” things like softball and camps. They grew by learning and obeying God word, not by “food, fun and frolic” (Acts 20:32).

The work of benevolence (Acts 2:44-45). The Christians were expressing their mutual care for one another by freely sharing their goods, and even by selling them so the daily needs of their fellow Christians would be supplied. In the New Testament, without exception, when churches worked in benevolence, they relieved needy saints (Acts 4:34-35; 6:1-6; 11:27-30; Rom. 15:26-27; 1 Cor. 16:1-4; 2 Cor. 8-9).

The work of evangelism (Acts 2:46-47). Souls were being saved and added to the church daily. This means the gospel was being preached (Rom. 10:13-17). The church’s work is to spread the gospel to save souls (1 Thess. 1:8).

We implore churches of Christ to return to doing God-approved work, and to abandon every work devised by human wisdom. These additions distort and defile the church for which Christ died. Without Bible authority, we dare not act presumptuously (Col. 3:17; Psa. 19:13). 

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You can find the complete outline of this sermon plus PowerPoint and MP3 Audio files at BIBLE ANSWERS
 

What Does It Cost You?
 

Scripture Reading:  2 Samuel 24:21-25

We possess many blessings that cost us nothing. Do we appreciate them? Do we show our respect, appreciation and thankfulness? Or, because they cost us nothing, do we take for granted our blessings and advantages?

I. YOUR LIFE DID NOT COST YOU ANYTHING.

  A. It Cost Your Parents, cf. Gen. 3:16-19; Ezek. 16:4-6; Eph. 6:4; Heb. 12:9-11; Eph. 6:1-3; Prov. 6:20-24.
  B. It Cost Your Neighbors (cf. taxes pay for education, safety, services, etc.), Rom. 13:1.
  C. Life is a Great Gift from God, Gen. 2:7; Eccl. 12:7. Deut. 30:19-20; Matt. 6:11, 30-32

II. YOUR SALVATION WAS GIVEN TO YOU FREELY, Psa. 68:19-20; Isa. 55:1-2; Eph. 2:9.

  A. Your Salvation Did Not Cost Your Life, Gal. 1:4; Rom. 5:8; Heb. 2:9-10.
  B. Your Salvation Costs Your Faith and Obedience, Eph. 2:8-9; Jno. 8:23-24.

III. YOUR DISCIPLESHIP WILL COST YOU EVERYTHING, Lk. 9:23.

  A. Living in Christ Will Cost You Everything, Lk. 14:33, 25-32.
  B. Worshiping God in Spirit and Truth Will Cost You, Jno. 4:23-24; Acts 2:42; 20:7; (2 Sam. 24:22-25), 1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 8:3-5.
  C. The Sacrificial Price of Faith, Heb.11:6,1.

Conclusion: A faith without thankfulness, is a faith yet rooted and grounded, Col. 2:6-7.

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You can find the complete outline of this sermon plus PowerPoint and MP3 Audio files at BIBLE ANSWERS
 

Urgent Matters
 

Scripture Reading:  James 4:13-17

Events like the Las Vegas shooting grab our attention, and demand that we think on things that are too often ignored, or pushed aside (“out of sight, out of mind”).

I. LIFE IS BRIEF, Jas. 4:14.

  A. Plans are Often Made Without Thought of Life’s Brevity, 4:13-14 (Rom. 1:13; 2 Cor. 1:17); Prov. 27:1; Lk. 12:15-20.
  B. Life, at Best, is Vaporous and Vanishing, Jas. 4:14; Psa. 89:47; 90:9-10; Jas. 4:15-16; Psa. 39:5-6.

II. DEATH IS CERTAIN, Jas. 4:14; Heb. 9:27.

  A. Preparations to Avoid Death, Eccl. 2:14; 7:2; 9:2-3; Lam. 1:19.
  B. Live for Christ, and Death becomes a Blessing, Phil. 1:19-23; Eccl. 12:1.

III. JUDGMENT IS SURE, Matt. 25:31-33 (Heb. 9:27).

  A. Responsibility and Accountability, 2 Cor. 5:10 (Matt. 25:15, 19); Rom. 2:2-6.
  B. Be Faithful to have Boldness in the Day of Judgment, 1 Jno. 4:17; 2:28; Rev. 20:11-15.

IV. ETERNITY IS LONG, Psa. 90:10.

  A. Life on Earth is Measured by Time, but Eternity is Timeless; Matt. 25:46; Rom. 2:7-10.

V. PREPARATION IS REQUIRED, Jas. 4:15-17; Jno. 14:1-6.

  A. Now is the Time to Repent and Be Saved, cf. Lk. 13:1-5; Acts 2:38, 40; 22:16.
  B. Now is the Time to Do Good (God’s will), Jas. 4:17 (15).

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The Las Vegas mass murder has been met with the predictable calls for gun control, and stricter laws to prevent such an act from ever happening again. There is now talk about outlawing bump stocks (which turn a semi-automatic gun into an automatic gun). Fine. But, concluding more gun laws will prevent murder (including mass murder) is naïve, misinformed, and completely fails to address the root of the problem. One had just as well outlaw rocks because innocent people have been stoned to death (Acts 7:54-60).

The existence of a law does not prevent someone from violating it, but informs you when some has done so (Rom. 3:20). If that were true, there would be no criminals in the world. Laws identify criminal activity, but the human heart decides whether to obey the law.

There are divine laws in place which, when obeyed, prevent murder (and the hate from which it comes). Here are two of them:

1. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matt. 22:37). Totally loving God will forever prevent hating and murdering others, for “God is love” (1 Jno. 4:7-8). One cannot love God and hate others, (1 Jno. 4:20-21).

2. “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:39). Obeying this simple commandment of God will banish hate from the heart, and its murderous actions toward others.

When someone says, “There ought to be a law…”, we would do well to remind them (and ourselves) that there already is a law – God’s law. When we choose to obey His law, it will vanquish hate it all its forms. The trouble is not that we do not have enough laws. The trouble is that people refuse to honor and obey the law of God. 

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